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HOUSTON, Texas — Jude Bellingham scored his first goal for Real Madrid and they beat Manchester United 2-0 at NRG Stadium.
Bellingham, a £88.5 million signing from Borussia Dortmund this summer, scored after just five minutes in front of a crowd of 67,801 in Houston to begin his career at the Spanish giants with a bang.
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The 20-year-old, once a target for United, only played 45 minutes but that’s all he needed to open his account for his new club. Substitute Joselu scored with an acrobatic overhead kick late in the second half to make the result safe.
Mason Mount had United’s best chance in the first half while fellow new arrival Andre Onana made a good save from Joselu on his first United appearance.
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Erik ten Hag’s team had some moments of slick football, but it was a night which showed why the United coach is so desperate to sign a striker.
Aside from handing Onana his debut, Ten Hag’s other eye-catching selection was picking 18-year-old Kobbie Mainoo in midfield against Real Madrid’s quartet of Bellingham, Luka Modric, Eduardo Camavinga and Aurelien Tchouameni.
Mainoo impressed against Arsenal in New Jersey, but his evening in Houston lasted just two minutes. Casemiro tripped Rodrygo, who collided with Mainoo and left the youngster in a heap on the ground.
United were briefly down to 10 men while Christian Eriksen prepared to come on and Real Madrid took advantage when Antonio Rudiger clipped a long ball over the top and Bellingham took a touch before lifting a wonderful finish over Onana.
It looked like it might have been offside, but Bellingham won’t care. Both sides made changes in the second half but any hope of United forcing an equaliser was ended when Joselu, signed on loan from Espanyol this summer, produced a spectacular effort at the back post to beat Onana.